Automobile-indicator



9 1M BY 561 W. H. BURCH.

AUTOMOBILE INDICATOR.

. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13, I918- D I 1,35g, 74, Patented Sept. 14, 11920.

INVENTBK I m/Mmf/Ba/w WITNESSES ATTORNEY w. H. BURCH.

AUTOMOBILE INDICATOR. APPLICATION FILED JUNE'I3, 1918.

1 352, 874;, Patented Sept. 14, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

mII'III IIIIIIIIm IN EN R k117i? 7 Walk? 732/22 To WITNESSES ATTORNEY W. H. BURCH.

AUTOMOBILE INDICATOR.

APPLICATION man JUNE 13. 1918.

1,352,874, PatentedSept. 14, 19%

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

f MIMIH INVENTOR ATTORNEY WILLIAM H. BURCH, OF STE. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

AUTOMOBILE-INDICATOR.

Specification of Letters latent. Patented Sept. 14, 1920.

Application filed June 13, 1918. Serial No. 239,798.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. BURCH, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automobile-Indicators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to signals, and more especially to those intended for automobiles; and one object of the same is to produce a signal of this character whose lamp or lamps will illuminate the name plate or number plate and also a panel constituting the tail light.

Another object is to produce a signal of this kind which may be used at the rear or on the front of the automobile if desired, or both at front and rear.

Another object is to produce a signal in which the light need not be furnished by electricity, but if so, it is on a separate circuit from the actuating mechanism.

Another object is to produce an indicator whose prime mover is a coiled spring havin a tendency to rotate a drum, but wherein this tendency is resisted by stops electrically controlled by a switch mechanism at the hand of the driver.

The most important feature of this 1nvention, however, is the signal or indicator system which permits the operator or driver in advance of making a turn to set the signal to indicate his intention, and the subsequent movement of the steering wheel restores the signal to straight ahead after the turn has been made and the machine straightens out again on its course.

Details will be found in the following specification and claims, and reference is made to they drawings herewith and in which Figure 1 is an elevation of this device complete,

Fig. 2 is a right end view,

Fig. 3 is a vertical section,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged left end view with the extreme end plate of the casing or housing removed,

Fig. 5 is an ehlarged sectional detail through all parts of one stop mechanism,

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 6.6 of Fig. 4,

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the switch board .beneath the steering wheel,

Fig. 8 is a side vien of the steering wheel and a section of the switch board, and

Fig. 9 is a detail in section on the line 99 of Fig. 8, I

Fig. 10 is a diagram showing all the "wiring.

On the drawings 1 have used the letter W to designate the steering wheel which rotates at the upper end of the fixed steering pillar P, C 'is a cylindrical housin or casing having glass panels G and (1 in its front and its bottom respectively, N is the number plate carried by this casing below the panel G, and E and E are lights or lamps and herein indicated as electric bulbs. No novelty is claimed for the features mentioned. A

Journaled along the axis of the casing is a main shaft 1 impelled normally in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3 by a spring motor mechanism indicated broadly at 2 and preferably disposed within its own housing on the right end of the casing as seen in Fig. 1. This motor or spring may be wound with a key from time to time. I may'say at this point that, although I show and describe a spring, it is not beyond the scope of my invention to provide means for rotating the main shaft electrically or otherwise. Fast on this shaft within the easing C is a drum which, as best seen in Fig. 3, is made up of a number of spokes 3 and four blades 4 carried thereby and spaced from each other so that the drum is of rather skeleton formation. The blades are a little shorter than the easing, which permits lampsE and E to be mounted in the casing beyond the ends ofthe drum without being struck by the blades of the latter as they move, and such blades-are respectively stenciled with the words Left, Ahead, Right and Stop. The blades are of such size and shape that the forward lamps E will throw their light downward through the panel G onto the face. of the number plate N, whereas the rearward lamps E may throw their light forward through the stenciled letters on the blades so that the quoted words above may be read through the rear panel G (although this might be called the front panel of the device as seen in Fig. 1) by the driverof an automobile behind the one in question, if we consider that this is the tail signal of the machine on which it is mounted. The light 1 in all lamps may be turned offjin the daytime,

when the words stenciled in the blades can be seen for quite a distance through the glass G. I do not wish to be limited strictly tothe four words quoted above, but when they are employed it is obvious that one must always be exposed. Assuming that the machine is progressing and the word Ahead is visible, it is the purpose of the invention to permit the driver to expose the word Right or Left according ,as he intends to turn, or expose the word Stop if he intends to slow down or stop entirely; and of course in making the change the word Ahead must move out of sight. As the spring mechanism rotates the drum always in one direction, it is therefore obvious that if the word he desires to expose instead of the word Ahead be 'not 'on the blade directly behind that bearing the word Ahead, means must be provided to permit the drum to rotate more than a one quarter revolution; but in any case means must be provided to check the rotation when the proper word has come opposite the glass G. i

Fast on the left end of the main 1 is adisk 5 having guides'6 disposed909 apart and in which are mounted respectively" two single armature pins 7 and 8 and one double armature, all capableo'f radial movement as seen in Fig. 4:. Mounted loosely on the main shaft 1 is an idle gear 10 whose teeth engage a rack 17 on the single armature pin 7, and on the opposite side of the gear, another rack 18 on the single armature pin 8, while across the bottom of the gear 10 its teeth engage a rack 19 at the mid-length of the double armature or stop pin 9. In order to have all the pins move radially through the guides 6, their racks simultaneously engage said gear and must be deflected as shown and as will be clearly understood. It

will be obvious that the upper and lower single armature pins seen in Fig. {i will be retracted simultaneously and projected simultaneously, and meanwhile the double armature will be moved to the left when the single armature pins are retractedor to the right when they are projected. In other words, three pins ma be projected and one retracted simultaneo sly, or the reverse, but there never can be a time when all of them are projected. It is to be understood that the disk rotates with the shaft and drum, whereas the gear 10 is mounted idly on theshaft 1 and serves merely as a means of connection between the several rack bars. The outer ends of the pins may project through holes16 in a flange 15 fixed in the housing around the disk 5 as shown in Fig. 5, and are necessarily of soft ironso that they constitute armatures for magnets yet to be described. The pin 9 at the left of i the double armature is longer and may project farther than the other three pins, and

5. The wire is connected at 22 with the purpose of this detail will appear later herein.

tendency may be overcome by a push bar 28 which is slidably mounted through one arm of the bracket and in the path of the long pin 9 when the latter is projected. Thus with thepin 9'moving downward in Fig. 5, when it is projected by any cause it strikes the push bar 28 which stops its downward movement and therefore checks the rotation of the drum while simultaneously breaking the circuit'throu gh this magnet, and the drum can go no farther until this pin is retracted. To retract it any of the other magnets may be energized, and the engagement of the rack bars with the idler causes the long pin 9 in Fig. 4 to move inward as all other pins move outward. When it moves inward it clears the push bar 28, and thereforethe drum turns under the influence of its spring until the pin 9 is attacked and drawn outward by some other magnet, when it strikes the push bar thereof and the drum comes again to, rest. It will ,now be clear that the strength -'of each magnet must be suflicient to move the several pins within their guides simultaneously, regardless of the fact that one of them is borne by spring pressure against a push bar 28, but the magnets should not have sufficient attractiveness or strength to prevent the rotation of the drum under. the impulse of the spring after the long pinhas been retracted as just described. In other words, the magnets are for unlatching purposes only, whereas it is the spring or the mechanism within the housing 2 which causes rotation of the drum when it is unlatched.

We now come to the most important feature of the invention in my opinion. Rigidly secured as by a clip 30 around the steering pillar P, is a grid 31 carrying four fingers underlying the forward side of the track 33 to the lower track 36. The two fingers at the right carry another section of higher track 37 which is so numbered in Fig. 9 but elsewhere lettered R, and the insulation 35 is similarly beveled. The extreme left and right fingers carry upstandin insulated stops 38 and 39.

ivoted at 40 on the grid 30 is a resilient switch arm 41 somewhat longer than the arms of the grid and therefore capablev of movement over the curved tracks made up of the three sectors described, and the numeral 42 designates a contact carried by the arm and adapted to close a circuit onto any track sector. The forward end of the arm itself carries a switch broadly indicated by the numeral 43, and by preference this is disposed beyond the rim of the steering wheel W so that the operator may readily reach it. Finally there is rigidly mounted at 44 on the hub of the wheel a spring finger 45 having its outer and forward end turned down into a resilient tip 46 which engages with the switch arm 41 in a manner yet to be explained.

Referring now to Figs. 7 and 10, a wire 50 leads from the arm 41, or more properly from the contact 42 thereon, to a battery 51, and beyond the battery it is branched as shown diagrammatically and leads to the four magnets respectively indicated by the letters R, L, S, and A. From the magnet R a wire 52 moves to the sector R of the track, a wire 53 leads from the magnet L to the sector L, a wire 54 leads from the magnet S to the top of theswitch 43, and a' wire 55 leads from the magnet A to the left of the same switch. This switch has four points, the lowermost of which in Fig. 10 is connected with a contact 42, whereas the right hand point is connected by a wire 57 to the intermediate sector A of the track,

being that portion of the track numbered 36 in Fig. 9. When the switch handle at 43 stands upright, the circuit is complete from the contact to the wire 54 and magnet S. When the switch handle stands transverse the circuit is'complete' from the wire 57 to the wire 55 and magnet A. All of these wires may be led through a tube or cable 58 (see'Fig. 7), and then into the housing 12 at the left end of the casing C, where they are properly connected with their respective magnets in a manner not necessary to give in detail. It is to be understood that the entire grid is mounted rigidly on the steering pillar and does not turn when the wheel W is turned, but the spring finger 45 is mounted on the hub of the wheel and turns with it. The length of the track sections will vary according to the degree of movement necessary to impart to the steering wheel W to turn the automobile.

With the parts standing as seen in Fig. 7, the automobile is at rest, and the word Stop is displayed on the indicator,'but

when the handle on the switch 43 is turned so that the parts stand as seen in Fig. 10, the word Ahead will be displayed on the indicator. In Fig. 7 the circuit is complete from the battery 51 up the wire 50, through the switch 43, along the wire 54 to the magnet S and back to the battery. In Fig. 10 the circuit from the battery leads up the wire 50 through the track sector A and the wire 57, thencethrough the switch 43 and along the wire 55 to the magnet A, and back the wheel 17V, grasps the upper end of the switch arm 41, and swings it bodily to the left, raising it slightly or moving it forcibly so that the contact 42 rides up the beveled insulation 35 of- Fig. 9 onto the left track .section 33 which is elsewhere lettered L.

The circuit from the battery and contact 42 leads through the wire 53 to the magnet L which is at the right of Fig. 4. This attracts the double armature 9 and moves it to the right, projecting both the single pins 7 and 8. The tip of the long pin coming off of the push bar 28, which it engages as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, frees the drum so that it can turn to the left, but the next succeeding magnet L attracts the long pin 9 which then moves again outward so that it comes into contact with the push bar thereof and the drum is permitted to have but a oneo uarter rotation. This displays the word Left on the indicator as seen in Fig. 1, even before the operator has turned the automobile to the left. Now he moves his steering wheel'WV, and with it the spring finger 45 moves until its tip contacts with the switch arm 41, possibly pushingthe same out against the left stop 38. The spring tip 46 eventually rides over the arm 41, and thereafter when the steering wheel W is returned to its neutral position, or in other words when the machine straightens out on its course, this finger moves the switch arm back automatically and causes the contact 42 to travel throughout the length of the sector L, down the inclined insulation 35, and onto the intermediate sector indicated at A in Fig. 10, so that the signalis immediately restored to its original position and indicates the word Ahead. I The same will be true if-the operator in-.

tended to turn to the ,right, excepting that it would be the opposite magnet which would be energized. In this case,as the magnet .R is the third element behind the magnet A,

the long pin 9 will remain retracted while that the contact 42 rests on the sector A and the word Ahead is again displayed. Should the operator intend to stop, he has but to turn the switch 43 a one-quarter revolution so that the circuit instead of being through the magnet marked is through the magnet marked S, and this permits the drum to make a one-half revolution from its original position. The same is true after he has stopped and again desires to go ahead. Therefore the operator is permitted to signal his intention prior to the turning of the steering wheel at all, and the subsequent movement of the steering wheel to carry out his intention has no effect on the switch. But when the wheel is restored to its normal or neutral position, the parts are reset to again display the signal Ahead. If it should so happen that, because of excitement or carelessness the operator does not give a warning of his intention, no injury results to the signal or the mechanism in any way, and the driver of a following machine is no worse off than he is at present. I am aware of efforts that have been made to devise an indicator which would display the drivers intention when he begins to turn the steering wheel, but it will be seen that my invention contemplates the indication of his intention to a follower before he begins to turn his steering wheel at all.

The foregoing description and the drawings have reference to what may be considered the preferred or approved, form of my invention. It is to be understood that I may make such changes in construction and arrangement and combination of parts, materials, dimensions, et cetera, as may prove expedient and fall within the scope of the ap ended claims.

aving thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new'and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an automobile indicator, the combination with the signal mechanism including the words Left Right and Ahead, a grid carried rigidly by the steering pillar, and two spaced track sectors and an interposed seetor carried by and insulated from the arms of the grid; of a switch arm pivoted on the grid and having a contact riding on said sectors as the arm is moved, signal operating mechanism actuated by circuits the switch arm in its several positions, and

means for automatically restoring the arm I the arms of'the grid; of a switch arm pivoted on the grid and having a contact rlding on said sectors as the arm is moved,-

signal operating mechanism actuated by circuits closed through the respective sectors and the switch arm in its several positions, the endmost insulations rising from the grid and constitutlng stops and the intermediate insulations being beveled downward toward the intermediate sector, and a spring finger carried by the steering wheel and adapted to pass yieldingly' over said switch arm when the wheel is turned aside, and to engage I such arm when the wheelis restored to its neutral or normal position and move the arm onto the intermediate sector to restore the signal to Ahead.

3. In an automobile indicator, the combination with a signal mechanism including the words Right Left Stop and Ahead, and electrically operated means for controlling the display of the desired signal; of a grid fast to the steering pillar of the machine and having radiating arnis, blocks of insulation carried by said arms, right and left track sectors connecting the outermost pairs of blocks and ail-Ahead sector connecting the innermost two blocks, these blocks being beveled from the outer sectors downward to the innermost and the outermost blocks rising above the sectors and constituting stops, a spring switch arm pivotally mounted on said grid and having a contact movable over said sectors, a wire connecting this contact with a battery, other wires connecting the other pole of the battery to the electric signal-controlling mechanisms respectively, and a switch on the switch arm for controlling the circuit to the mechanism which controls the Stop signal, for the purpose set forth.

4. In an automobile indicator, the combination with a signal mechanism including the words Ri ht Left Stop and Ahead, and electrically operated means for controlling the display of the desired signal; of a grid fast to the steering pillar of the machine and having radiating arms, blocks of insulation carried by said arms, right and left track sectors connectingv the ontermostpairs of blocks and an Ahead sector connecting the innermost two blocks, these blocks being beveled from the outer sectors downward to the innermost and the tery to the electric signal-controlling mechanisms respectively, a finger mounted on the hub of the steering wheel and having a down-turned tip adapted to move yieldingly over said switch arm when the steering wheel is turned aside while the contact is on either side sector, and to engage said arm and restore it to its original position when the steering wheel is restored to its neutral position, and a switch on the switch arm :for directing the current through the mechanism controlling the Stop signal when desired.

5. In an automobile indicator, the combination with signal mechanism including the words Right Left Stop and Ahead, and electrically operated meansfor controlling the display of the desired signal; of a grid having three track sections, wires rev spectively connecting them with mechanism controlling the display of the words Right Left and Ahead, a switch arm-pivoted on said grid and having a block for selective engagement with said track sections, awire connecting said block with a battery "and branched thence to the several signal mechanisms, an independent switch inserted in the wire leading to said signal Ahead, and a shunt wire leading from this switch'tothe signal Stop.

6. In an automobile indicator, the combination with signal mechanism including the words Right Left Stop and Ahead and electrically operated means for contro ling the display of the desired signal; of a grid having three track sections, wires respectively connectingthem with mechanism controlling the display of the words Right -Left'and Ahead, aswitch arm pivoted on said grid and having a block for selective engagement with said track sections, a wire connecting said block with a battery and branched thence to the several signal mechanisms, a snap switch 'niountedon the switch arm, and a wire leading thence to the signal Stop, this switch being'interposed in the wire leading to thesignal Ahead whereby when the contact stands on the proper track section the signal can be changed without moving the switch arm.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM H. BURCH.

.Witnesses:

GEORGE EYSTER, MAMIE KEARNS. 

